How To Save a Life
by instrument trio
Summary: Random acts of kindness usually don't go far for Hikari, and when she saves a shinobi named Haku, she doesn't expect this case to be any different. But after 4 years, he's back. Is God messing with her, or she just part of a game she doesn't want to play?
1. Chapter 1

Hey, folks! I'm Akiraka, and this is what you might call my debut story. So, I'm totally new at this. I'd love if you'd review, but please no flames. Constructive critism is much obliged!

Summary: Random acts of kindness usually don't go far for Hikari, and when she saves a shinobi named Haku, she doesn't expect this case to be any different. But after 4 years, he's back. Is God messing with her, or she just part of a game she doesn't want to play?

Major Pairings: HakuxOC, ShinoxOC, KibaxOC, a little NarutoxHinata

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but please don't steal the OCs. Just saying.

1.

Haku was dying.

He could tell by the way the cloudy, silver sky seemed to be pressing down on him, by the way time seemed to slow, by the way the wind seemed to bear a note of finality on its wings.

Finally.

He could feel the snow prickling his face. He had always liked the snow, ever since he was a little kid-

But wait. He was supposed to be dying.

So as Haku lay there, waiting for the end to come, you can imagine his surprise when it didn't.

He cracked an eye open. Kneeling over him was a short, blue haired girl, her sparkling light blue eyes focused on his face. "What are you doing?" He asked flatly.

The girl stared at him like he was crazy. And maybe he was. "I'm saving your life," she replied just as frankly. Haku then noticed the light green chakra emanating from her palms, healing the hole by his heart.

"You know, every time you do that-"

"A year comes off my life, I know." She said, her eyes moving to her hands. "But what does it taking five years off of my life matter if I'm adding five to yours?"

Haku blinked. His eyes turned to Zabuza. He lay next to Haku, his eyes wide and empty. He should have died, too…

"Stop." He said.

The girl blinked. "What?"

"Stop healing me. Just let me die."

Her mouth dropped. "Let you die? Why would I do that?"

"Because I don't have a reason for living." He closed his eyes.

She scowled. "That's foolish."

Haku frowned but kept his eyes closed.

With one more burst of chakra, the girl healed all of his wounds and pulled him to his feet. "Stand up."

Haku blinked. "You healed me? Just like that?"

The girl smiled. "Yes, I always have had a touch for medicine."

Haku shook his head. "You made a mistake."

She was still smiling. "I don't think so. By the way, I'm Kousetsu Hikari. It's nice to meet you."

"Haku," said Haku, his eyes traveling almost subconsciously toward Zabuza.

"I'm sorry about your friend." By the tone of voice she used, Haku could tell she meant it. "I tried to save him, but it was too late."

Haku took a deep breath. "I've served my purpose!" He said, his voice filled with anger. "You should have let me die!"

"But I didn't. You can't change the past, and I have no intention of being your murderer now." Hikari shouldered her bag and began to walk away. Haku, for lack of another place to go, followed her.

"Where are you going?" He asked, catching up to her.

"Konohakagure." She answered. "And you?"

"I might go back to Mist."

"You're from there?"

Haku looked up into the foggy road. "Sort of…" He sighed. "I don't know what I'll do, though."

"Well, you're a ninja, aren't you? Mist must be in need of ninja."

Haku took an oblique glance at the girl. "What do you live for, Hikari?"

Hikari blinked, taken aback by the question. "W-well, I live for my friends, and my clan. They disappeared a long time ago. They might be alive, they might not. I always hope I'll find them one day. And when we meet, I want them to be proud of me." Haku thought he saw her blink hard at this, but she might have just been ridding her eyelashes of a snowflake. "And I live to get stronger."

"That's selfish." Haku snorted.

"No, it's not!" She said in mock anger, the ends of her lips twitching. "Not if you're growing stronger to protect your country."

"So that's all it's about, then? Konoha is it?" He asked, searching Hikari's face.

"Well, it's not about yourself. It's not about one person. It's about everyone, together!" He could see the fire in her eyes.

He chuckled. "Is that why you're so helpful?" He grinned as she stared. "Because you think of everyone but yourself?"

Hikari turned her head to face him and stopped walking. "But you can't think just about you." She said quietly. "There are so many factors; it'd be selfish to think only of yourself." Her look turned sly. "That's also why it's selfish to try to die."

Haku furrowed his brow and opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. "Touché." He said wearily after a moment with a small smile.

The two walked in silence for a while, and yet it wasn't awkward. Hikari was enjoying the odd but pleasant sight of snow on green plants while taking small glances at her companion. Haku, however, was just staring ahead, trying to sort out the panic and sadness in his mind.

Eventually, they got to a fork in the road. One sign pointed haphazardly to Mist, the other neatly written to Leaf. Hikari readjusted her bag on her shoulder and glanced at Haku. "I guess this is where we split."

Haku swallowed. "I guess so."

Then she turned around and looked at him. Her voice began unsure, but she seemed to gain confidence as she went on. "You know, Haku," she paused. "I saved your life. You owe me a bowl of ramen."

Haku found himself smiling. "I promise, if I'm ever in Konoha, I'll seek you out."

She smiled the first true smile he had seen all day. She turned, and he watched her until she faded into the snow.

-

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

2.

_Four years later_

Hikari ducked the blow that was aimed for her head. She clutched a kunai and made a mad swipe towards her opponent. He was a large man, and rather surprised and annoyed to be fighting a girl half his age and size.

Hikari's strength was running out, and she didn't know if she would be able to defeat him. She was breathing hard: she had been going at this for thirty minutes.

She could hear the shouts of her two team mates as they tried to subdue the two other bandits. Their words were strangely blurred, though, so she couldn't understand them.

She furrowed her brow and aimed a hard punch at the bandit's stomach, only to be kicked from her feet. She felt her ankle go out, and she fell to the ground. She lifted her hand to heal it, but the bandit grabbed her hair, lifted her head, and pressed a kunai to her neck. Hikari took a shuddering breath.

Suddenly the pull at the back of her head was gone, and she heard a _thump _as the bandit's body fell to the ground.

She looked up as a hand reached out to help her up. "H-Haku?"

"Yes." He smiled.

His black hair was quite a bit shorter than it had been four years ago, and was gather in a low ponytail in the back. He had the same green jacket and turtleneck, but his long black cargo pants were different. His facial features had sharpened, but his honey-brown eyes hadn't lost any of their gentle kindness.

He helped her up, and the spell was broken. The sound came crashing back, startling the two. "Hikari!" Renshi yelled. "Hikari! We got the other two-" She stopped and stared. "Uh… who's this?"

"Oh!" Hikari jumped, surprising by the question. "Renshi, this is Haku. Haku, this is my friend, Cheragi Renshi."

Katorashi ran up behind Renshi and cocked her head at the stranger. "Hey, who's your friend?" She asked.

"This is Haku. Haku, this is Hofuku Katorashi."

"I haven't seen you around Konoha, Haku-san. Where are you from?" Renshi asked in her slow, polite way.

"Mist. Hikari saved my life four years ago on that bridge named after that hyperactive blond person…."

"Oh, you must be that guy Kakashi accidentally killed! Or… almost killed… since you're still alive." Katorashi's voice faded away.

Haku laughed quietly.

"So, what brings you here?" Hikari said, looking at Haku out of the corner of her eyes.

"Actually, I was going to Konoha." Haku admitted. Hikari's eyes narrowed. "Don't worry, I didn't desert. I got a transfer."

Hikari laughed. "Wow. That's great! So, you're a Konoha ninja?"

Haku grinned. "On my way to get my hitai-ate right now."

She smiled back at him while Renshi and Katorashi glanced at each other.

"Well," Katorashi said after a moment, tapping her foot. "We got the bandits. Can we hurry up and get back to Konoha?"

The three girls hurriedly tied up the unconscious looters. As she gathered up the guy she had been fighting, Hikari gave Haku a thoughtful look. "You know, Haku, you still owe me that ramen."

He scowled in mock indignance. "Hey, I just saved _your_ life!"

"Aw, but I really like ramen."

"All right, fine. How about I buy your ramen, and you buy mine?"

"Deal." She grinned and held out her hand. He shook it. She lifted the big bandit onto her shoulder and they walked forward, leaving Renshi and Katorashi to follow. The two girls raised their eyebrows at each other, then walked after the others, trying very hard not laugh.

---

Haku ran his fingers over the smooth, shiny metal of his new Konoha headband. He remembered how Tsunade had reassured his that he wouldn't have to retake the Chuunin Exams: wouldn't it be a waste of time and resources if Mist had already deemed him a worthy chuunin? Besides, we all know what _that _was like. He smiled to himself. It felt good to be welcomed somewhere, just like it felt good to be sitting next to a girl he hadn't seen in four years, watching her blow on her ramen.

"So what have you been doing for four years?" Hikari asked.

"I was a ninja for Mist."

"See! I told you they would need you."

"Yeah, well, obviously not as much as you thought."

She smiled as she stirred her chopstick around her bowl. "And now you're here, which is better, right?"

He smiled a little. "I suppose."

She laughed as someone behind her yelled, "YOSH, RAMEN!"

The two turned. Konoha's Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja was running towards Ichiraku. He slid into a stool. "I've been training all day, old man, gimme a bowl of pork ramen!" Naruto yelled happily. "Oh hi, Hikari. You have a date?"

Luckily, Hikari wasn't really a blushing person. "No, he's just a friend. And I'm pretty sure you've met him before. Naruto, remember Haku?"

Naruto's mouth dropped. "Whoa. Haku? As in Haku and Zabuza? As in Ice Mirrors Haku? That Haku?"

That Haku nodded.

"You were dead," Naruto blinked.

"Dying. Then she saved me." Haku motioned to Hikari.

"Hikari! You're not supposed to go around saving random people! They could be the enemy. _He _was!"

The blue haired girl made an incredulous sound. "And if I hadn't? He would be dead and not here doing something worthwhile."

Naruto rolled his eyes, but, recognizing defeat, took that opportunity to break his chopsticks and dig into his ramen. "Itadakimasu!"

"So what's been changing _here_?" Haku asked.

"A whole mess of things." Hikari sighed. "During the Chuunin Exams a few years ago, Sand and Sound made an alliance and attacked together. Fortunately, it didn't work, and Sand is our ally again because Sound betrayed them. But so far the problem with Sound has only gotten worse and worse."

"Tsunade baa-chan thinks we're gonna have a war," Naruto said conversationally. "I do, too."

"I don't think it can be avoided. It's inevitable." Hikari propped up her head on one hand.

"You guys seem pretty nonchalant about this," Haku said as Naruto steadily inhaled ramen.

Hikari sighed and finished the last of her bowl. "I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it," she said, her voice deceivingly light. She noticed Haku's bowl was empty. She put down some money on the counter and pushed it toward to her dark-haired comrade. "Well, I must be going. Kat-chan and Re-chan are expecting me to train with them." She moved the banner covering the entrance to the ramen shop with her forearm and stepped into the bright, sunny street.

It was only a few minutes later, as he paid for the ramen, that Haku realized Hikari had left enough money to pay for both of their bowls.


	3. Chapter 3

It's me again. Just here to remind you that I do not own Naruto, and to warn you that this chapter will be the stereotypical, badly written karaoke chapter. Let me assure you that I will not try to write another of these in this lifetime. :)

3.

And so the days passed. Days turned into months, fall turned into winter. There were many missions, some tedious ones including babysitting many a troublesome child, some wonderful ones with plenty of excitement and adventure. There were plenty more bandits, and plenty of escort missions. The three girls were never bored, to say the least.

Through it all, Hikari found herself spending more time with Haku. The two made each other laugh, which did wonders through the days when the sky was dark and there had been nothing but slow missions all week.

Meanwhile, the invisible lines that connect us all thickened substantially between Renshi and Shino. What those two had was something unspoken and unseen, but it was undeniably _there._ A sort of thick power by the way they could both speak so little but say so much. They were similar, and in those moments when Renshi would coax a smile out of him, and then suddenly they would both be laughing their low, soft laughs: those were moments to live for.

As for Katorashi and Kiba, well, they were two peas in a pod. It was always hard to tell whether they were being serious, or if they were just poking fun of everything. They would give each other small pecks on the cheek and laugh afterward. Katorashi would steal Kiba's coat and wear it all day. Kiba would throw the blond girl's swords into the lake and push her in after them. And then sometimes they would just stare at each other, searching for something no one else knew in each other's eyes.

So maybe it wasn't _that _much of a surprise when Renshi burst into Hikari's apartment, yelling about karaoke.

"What?" Hikari rubbed her eyes, casting the scroll she had been reading aside.

"We're going to a karaoke place, so c'mon! Get something nice on!" Renshi ran into Hikari's bedroom. Katorashi meandered into the room after her.

"This isn't nice?" Hikari raised an eyebrow. That would explain her friends' strange attire: Renshi had on a dark orange beaded shirt and a red ski vest with nice coffee colored corduroys and a woven orange hat on her head, while Katorashi wore a nice, striped blue sleeveless shirt with a good pair of faded jeans. Over the shirt was a green wind breaker; it was December.

"No, it's not." Katorashi laughed.

As the two dug through Hikari's limited closet, Hikari asked, "So who're we going with?"

"Shino and Kiba and Haku," Renshi said, shoving through Hikari's multiple white fleeces and short navy blue skirts.

"So… is this a date?" She examined her pale, chipped fingernails.

"No!" yelled the other two girls. Hikari smirked at the blushes on her friends' faces and was rewarded with a midnight blue kimono top in the face. Next a pair of jeans flew at her chest. "Now put those on while we pick out some shoes."

Hikari rolled her eyes but she did as she was told. She came out and was greeted by Katorashi shoving a pair of high black boots at her. "Hurry up, we have to go!"

Hikari hurriedly swept up her hair with a clip, but left her bands hanging in front of her forehead. She stumbled into the boots and quickly grabbed her blue woolen coat from the closet, then she was out in a flash after her two comrades.

Outside it was dusk, and it was snowing. Hikari tilted her head back, letting the snowflakes settle on her face. Renshi and Katorashi were talking about their swords: Renshi practiced the two sword technique, while Katorashi preferred three. They walked through the streets. It was a quiet winter night, but there were a few people out and about. They saw Naruto and Hinata: Hinata blushing as she clung to his arm, Naruto chattering away, his bright blue eyes soft as he looked down at her.

Somewhere near the center of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the three girls stopped in front of a neon-y karaoke bar. Hikari made a disgusted sound, Renshi rolled her eyes, and Katorashi gasped and clasped her hands, saying, "It's perfect!"

They spent about ten minutes when they were inside just trying to pick out their friends. This problem was only solved when Kiba jumped up and yelled, "OI, FREAKS!" in the middle of someone's heartfelt (and awful) version of _You Raise Me Up_. They had gotten a dark, secluded booth in the corner of the room. Renshi sighed, "They really are just hopeless romantics, aren't they…"

After many an onigiri, and many a laughing threat to order sake, the six got down to the real issue of the night…

"Aw, c'mon, Re-chan, you don't go to a karaoke bar unless you plan to sing!" Katorashi laughed.

"Then I shouldn't have come." Renshi bit back irritably, stirring her Dr. Pepper with her straw.

Katorashi chuckled some more. "Yeah, you and Shino, a duet!"

Shino blinked behind his small, dark glasses. "What the hell, I'm not singing anything."

Kiba laughed his great bark of a laugh. "Seriously, you don't want to hear him sing."

Renshi turned to Shino. "Is it true, Shino?"

Shino, slightly ruffled, rounded on Hikari and Haku, who had been having a low side conversation the whole time. "What about them?"

The two quickly turned their heads. "What?" Haku blinked.

"Yeah!" Katorashi beamed. "Hikari and Haku!"

"A-ano…" Hikari had a bad feeling about this.

Katorashi whispered something to Renshi across the table and the orange-haired girl broke into a huge smile. "Oh my Kami-sama, yes! That's perfect!" Hikari sweatdropped, the feeling of dread intensifying.

"Will you do it? PWEASE?" Katorashi pleaded.

"All right." said Haku.

Renshi and Katorashi blinked while Hikari groaned. "Really?"

"Yeah, sure, why not? How bad could it be?"

"Brave man," Kiba muttered, downing the rest of his coke. The two girls grinned evilly.

"Oh, Haku, what have you gotten us into?" Hikari almost cried. She and Haku were making their way to the stage.

"You're overreacting, Hikari," Haku answered, unfazed.

"What song?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'?!?!?" She practically screamed.

"I said they could pick the song."

"But that means they could-" She was interrupted by the introduction to _Breaking Free. _She glared at the booth in the corner and mouthed "I hate you" to Katorashi and Renshi, who were doubled over in silent laughter.

She was handed a microphone and so was Haku. "How well can you sing?" She muttered.

He smirked, a rarity for him. "We'll just have to see."

Hikari closed her eyes, braced for the catastrophe.

_"We're breaking free," _Haku's singing voice was surprisingly low and soft.

_"We're soaring_

_Flying_

_There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach."_

Hikari was pleasantly surprised by her friend's singing voice, and found herself singing back,

_"If we're trying_

_Yeah, we're breaking free."_

She was faintly aware of everyone in the bar's attention. It was quite a change to hear someone actually… well, good.

"_You know the world can see us," _His voice was still low.

_"In a way that's different from who we are."_

_"Creating space between us," _She jumped in.

_"Til we're separate hearts."_

_"But your faith, it gives me strength," _Their voices mingled.

_"Strength to believe."_

Hikari laughed. "_We're breaking free!"_

_"We're soaring!" _He smiled as well.

_"Flying!"_

_"There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach!" _They both sang, no longer caring about anything other than each other and the words to the song.

_"When we're trying,_

_Yeah, we're breaking free…"_

Somewhere along the line, the audience had begun clapping to the beat of the music, but Hikari had not noticed. She was too busy getting lost in Haku's honey brown eyes…

--

While they had been in the karaoke bar snow had fallen, four inches and counting. The six trudged through the blanketed streets of Konoha. Kiba, Katorashi, Shino, and Renshi brought up the rear, talking and laughing. Hikari and Haku walked a few yards ahead of them, strangely quiet.

They were currently walking down a quiet, undisturbed street in the residential district. The lights were all off, giving the sky a deep purple color. Haku looked up into the trees that sheltered the neighborhood, mulling over what had happened only an hour ago.

"I've always wanted to sing karaoke with a cute ninja girl," he said, glancing at Hikari, who stared back up at him, confused. Then he looked back ahead. "I guess I'll have to wait some more."

She gasped, mouth open in a strange half smile, and shoved him.

He laughed, shoving her back.

This went on and on, until suddenly-

They were in snow. Haku was on top of Hikari, their faces inches apart. It had been an accident, but neither seemed willing to get up. Strangely enough, all Haku could think about was closing the gap between their lips….

"Hey, I hope things aren't getting too steamy up there!" yelled Renshi while Kiba laughed.

The two were up in a flash. Their faces were red, and they avoided each other's eyes. They waited awkwardly for the other four to catch up. As soon as they were within sight of her apartment building, Hikari practically ran for it, merely yelling, "G'night!" over her shoulder as a farewell.

As soon as she was on the other side of the door, she slid down it, breathing heavily and her heart beating a million miles an hour. _What a strange night, _she thought absent mindedly. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and willed the butterflies in her stomach to go away...


	4. Chapter 4

In which the plot starts, and the story in general starts sucking a little bit less. :)

4.

Hikari, Renshi, Katorashi, Kiba, Shino, Haku, and Hinata all stood before Tsunade on a sunny Saturday in April. The months had passed, and all of the snow that had fallen over the winter had melted, taking the karaoke night with it. Nobody mentioned it again, and Haku proceeded to ignore it as well, but Hikari hadn't let it slip by unnoticed that her stomach seemed to swoop now whenever she was near him.

"Well," Tsunade said, examining a scroll that lay in front of her. "I've got you all down for a B-rank mission."

The nin glanced at each other, wondering what sort of B-rank mission could require all seven of them.

"It's an accompaniment mission," the Fifth clarified.

"For all _seven_ of us?" Kiba said, amazed. The others had to agree, seven ninja for one B-rank accompaniment mission was overkill to the extreme.

Tsunade sighed. "Apparently our client is very susceptible to attacks from her enemies. She will need more protection than usual." Here the Godaime's voice seemed to get darker. "Besides, our employer insisted upon it. Do you think I _like _being down seven shinobi in these times?"

The teenagers remained silent.

Tsunade looked around wearily, as if expecting the door to a casino or an extra large bottle of sake to show up out of no where. After scanning the perimeter and having no such luck (big surprise), she motioned to a guard standing by the door. "Show her in."

The guard nodded and opened the sliding door. Waiting there, about their age, stood a girl. She had light brown hair finely streaked with cerulean blue, and her eyes were a cloudy, stormy gray. Her features were soft, except for her nose, which was pointed and turned up at the end. She was wearing a bright blue shirt and dark khaki cargo capris. However, Hikari guessed that although she looked it, this girl was no ninja.

"This is Dekitate Namida," Tsunade said absent mindedly, currently trying to find some sake she knew she had _somewhere_ in her desk…

"That's me!" Namida said brightly, as if the matter needed any clearing up. But that wasn't what caught the seven nin's attentions. At the moment Namida said this statement, her eye color switched from dismal gray to cheerful orange.

However, if Tsunade was surprised, or had even noticed at all, she did not show it. "Go and prepare yourselves. Meet Dekitate-san by the gate in one hour."

The others quickly filed out the door, except-

"Hikari, stay here a minute."

Hikari, in the middle of a step, spun around to face the Hokage. Naturally, she feared the worst. But Tsunade merely held out the scroll.

Hikari felt her heart sink. Maybe this was the worst. She warily took the scroll. "Does this mean…?"

"Yes, you are the team leader for this mission."

"M-me?"

"Yes, you."

"But-" Hikari abruptly stopped. It was futile to argue with the Hokage.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I don't doubt your leadership capabilities. I know you won't let the village down." Hikari was dismissed.

The hour seemed to pass too fast. It seemed in no time Hikari was standing in from of the gate. She sighed, dreading the mission more than ever.

"So, who's the squad leader this time?" Katorashi asked with great interest. She was walking toward the group with Kiba, Akamaru bounding happily behind them.

There was a beat of silence before Hikari wearily raised a hand.

"Hikari?" Renshi said. "Wow, good for you!" Hikari, being a rather foul mood, passed it off as Renshi merely being glad it wasn't her.

"Does this mean I have to come up with all the plans?" Hikari said.

"No." Shino answered shortly.

"Good!" Katorashi exclaimed happily. "Hikari can't come up with a plan to get from one end of the room to other!"

"That's not true," Hikari defended, the ends of her lips twitching upwards as the group chuckled appreciatively. It wasn't as if she couldn't make plans for herself, it was just tricky when you started adding others to the equation.

Hikari turned to discover Namida standing behind her. She wondered how long the girl had been standing there. "Hi!" The brunette said happily.

"Hello," Renshi said civilly. She unconsciously brushed her chin-length orange brown hair from her eyes and continued. "I'm Cheragi Renshi. I don't think we've all been properly introduced."

Shino nodded his head. "Aburame Shino."

Katorashi grinned so widely that her eyes closed. "I'm Hofuku Katorashi!"

"Inuzuka Kiba. And this is Akamaru." Here the big dog barked.

Haku smiled that nice smile of his. "I'm Haku."

Hikari looked at Namida for a minute. "Kousetsu Hikari," she said, carefully gauging the girl's reactions. Was it just her, or did Namida's eyes flash jet black?

"Hyuga Hinata," Hinata smiled softly.

"It's very nice to meet all of you," Namida grinned. "I appreciate all you are doing for me."

Hikari glanced at the sun. "We should probably get going. I mean, if we want to get there in three days."

And so the eight set out. Again, Hikari noticed their numbers as a hindrance. If they were ambushed, there would be no easy retreat with so many people.

Kiba, Katorashi, and Akamaru walked in the front, the two humans talking animatedly. It had always amazed Hikari how they managed to carry conversations for hours.

Next, Renshi, Shino, and Hinata walked quietly in the middle. Renshi and Shino were talking inaudibly, occasionally laughing. Hinata seemed content in searching the trees for something no one else could see.

Haku, Hikari, and Namida brought up the rear. Hikari was carefully listening to the birdsong, matching every individual call to its owner. She noticed nothing amiss. She breathed a small sigh of relief. "Relax," Haku said quietly. Hikari turned to look up at him. "It's going to be fine."

Hikari nodded, trying to believe him.

As they walked, Hikari got to know Namida quite well. It turned out she was the daughter of a wealthy business man who pretty much ruled Wood Country, a nondescript country way up north. However, it was overrun by just _awful _rebels who were just trying to ruin the economy and send the country careening into disaster.

Somehow, Hikari didn't think that was the whole story.

Nevertheless, the girl was cheerful and kind and made great conversation. The two laughed and talked until the sun had settled just above the tree tops. It was there that Namida just stopped walking.

The other seven looked back at their client. "I'm tired," she said cheerfully. Hikari vaguely noticed that Namida didn't show any signs of fatigue. "Let's stop for the night."

"Ano… we could go farther…" Hinata's voice trailed off as Namida proceeded to drop her bags and make camp.

Hikari glanced at her comrades. Katorashi snorted and rolled her eyes, but accepted the tent that Namida told her to pitch. Renshi, characteristically showing no emotion, dropped her bag as well. Hikari heard Haku sigh irritably beside her.

"Hmmm?" Hikari questioned.

"There's a whole hour left of daylight." Haku replied, all of his exasperation getting lost in his gentle voice. "We could get much farther if we actually used it."

Hikari chuckled. "Just think about what we're getting paid…"

Haku rolled his eyes. "Sure. Great incentive."

"Hey, I need that money to pay my rent!"

Haku smiled. "So?"

"What, you want me to be homeless?" She cried.

"You could always move in with me."

Hikari felt her face grew hot. Haku, too, seemed to notice what he had said. He quickly looked away. An awkward silence settled between the two. Hikari half expected Renshi to pop up and yell, "GAY BABY!"

They were saved even more embarrassment by Shino silently appearing next to them. "Anything I can do?"

"Yeah," Hikari nodded. "Could you send a few bugs for-"

"Hey, Hikari!" yelled Namida. She sounded urgent.

Hikari glanced at Haku and Shino. "Be right back."

"What do you need?" She asked, walking up to Namida.

"Hey, help me start this fire!" The girl said brightly. Her eyes were a cheerful hot pink. Hikari shuddered.

"Renshi can do that, she's the one good with fire justus, I have to-"

"No, no, she's setting up the guys' tent." Hikari turned to find Renshi leaning on a pole and dozing.

"Well, what about Katorashi?" Katorashi could do electric jutsus with her swords.

"Our tent." She motioned to the blond girl, who looked about ready to brutally murder the tent as it fell down for the fourth time.

Hikari sighed and whipped out some matches. She had never been one to start fires; she always had better luck putting them out, what with her power over wind and water. But in a few seconds, the beginnings of a lay burning on the small piles of sticks. "Now, to find Shino…"

"Oh, he's gone. He went to go get more firewood."

Hikari frowned. "How about Kiba?"

"Went out to go catch fish with that dog."

Hikari smiled slightly at the thought of what Kiba would say if he heard Akamaru being referred to as "that dog", but she had more pressing matters. "Hinata?"

"Went with Kiba. Something about him being totally irresponsible." Namida seemed to pride herself on knowing the exact whereabouts of everyone, never mind that Hikari needed them here.

"Haku?" Hikari felt her exasperation growing.

A shadow passed over the other girl's face. Her eyes flashed icy blue. "Haku, hmmm?"

The blue haired girl crossed her arms and studied the trees. "Ah well, I'll get them when they return," She said to herself more than anyone else.

"That's the spirit!" Namida said happily, holding her hands out to the fire even though it was quite warm out. Hikari did not notice that Namida's eyes stayed cold blue for a long time afterwards.

Hinata, Shino, Haku, and Kiba came back in a group. Kiba bragged about the dozen fish he held, about how he had caught all of them with his bare hands (with Akamaru's help of course). Hinata, however, revealed a different story. "Baka, if not for my byakugan telling you where they were, you wouldn't have gotten any fish at all!"

Kiba scratched his head sheepishly as Katorashi laughed at him. This earned her a flick on the nose from Kiba, who got a punch in the stomach for his trouble. Soon the two were yelling and chasing each other around, a usual ending to their conflicts.

In the midst of all the laughter and talk, Hikari forgot to ask Shino to send a few bugs out as scouts.

After dinner, the talk lulled. Namida went to bed right after eating. Hikari lay on her back and stared at the stars. They had always fascinated her. Renshi was sharpening her kunai next to her. Shino was just sitting against a tree, hardly moving at all. Hikari wondered if he was asleep.

"Can I join you?" Haku said quietly.

Hikari nodded silently, and Haku sat down next to her. After a moment more of silence, he said, "Orion."

The blue haired girl smirked. She knew this game. "Big Dipper," She pointed up at the sky.

He moved his finger closer to hers. "Little Dipper."

"Gemini."

"Pisces."

"Cancer."

"Cassiopeia."

"Hydra."

"Uh… Andromeda?"

Hikari laughed. "That's not a constellation, baka. I win."

"True, but it's something better, isn't it?"

Her laugh faded. "I guess, but it's not part of the game."

"So? What's wrong with searching for stars and finding galaxies?"

"It's the same thing."

"Is not, and you know it. You're just sore because I'm right."

"You are impossible, Haku."

Haku smiled and leaned back, so he was now lying down. "I know. I try."

Hikari chuckled and breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of the forest, the fire, and Haku. She was faintly aware that her heart was thudding because she was so close to him, but she was so relaxed that she ignored it. She could hear Akamaru barking in the distance and Katorashi's laughter. She sighed contentedly and said, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes," came Haku's simple reply. His face was turned towards hers. "Yes, it is."

Hikari nodded absentmindedly and proceeded to lose herself in the stars.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello, guys. This chapter is a little short. Next chapter will be up soon, though. Please bear with me!

5.

The eight set out late the next morning, so late that is was almost noon. Namida was constantly forgetting things. They had to turn back so many times that finally Hikari had to tell the brunette that if anything else was forgotten, it was just going to have to stay forgotten. If they wanted to get to Wood Country anytime soon, Namida was going to have to learn to keep track of her stuff. At this, Namida's eyes flashed blood red, then settled to a muted light green. "Sure," was her only reply.

As they walked, Hikari once again matched the sounds of the forest to their sources. She detected nothing wrong.

So you can imagine her surprise when a kunai came whistling through the trees, heading straight for Katorashi. The girl deflected it easily with one of her swords, creating a metallic clang throughout the woods. But that was not the only kunai out.

Namida was standing behind Hikari with the blade pressed against her throat. It was sickeningly familiar, and she felt her heart sink, but she easily twisted away from the other girl. By this time, the others were already occupied with the new enemy. The two stood facing each other, their weapons at the ready.

"What-" Hikari choked out.

"Oh, come on, Hikari." Namida's cheerful voice was gone, to be replaced by an icy, harsh new one. Her eyes were back to being frigid blue. "Seven nin for one measly B-rank accompaniment mission?"

Hikari's jaw tightened.

"You _might _have been able to spot it coming if you had managed to get Shino or Hinata or whatever to scout forward, but you couldn't even do _that _correctly…"

Hikari lunged at the traitor, rashly acting on her emotions. Namida easily dodged the attack.

"But why?" Hikari asked, collecting herself. She decided she would try to keep Namida talking for as long as possible. "What's your purpose?"

"Orochimaru's orders." Namida shrugged and her kunai connected with Hikari's.

Hikari fell back, skimming the ground with her fingers as she leapt away. Her mouth was set in a grim line. Orochimaru. She should have known. "He's trying to start a war."

Namida smiled a sick, humorless smile. "Of course. And he will succeed. Killing seven ninja with no provocation whatsoever will definitely cause some ill relations."

The color drained from Hikari's face. "You mean…"

The awful smile did not go away. "Your bodies will be brought back to Konoha, of course. You'll probably get a hero's burial, not that it'll help you much now…"

Hikari heard a buzz of panic begin in her ears. Her voice shook with anger and shock as she spoke again. "And you? You feel _nothing _from betraying people?"

There were those red eyes again. "I have no choice." She hissed.

Hikari growled. "You always have a choice."

"Not if I don't want to die."

Hikari said nothing.

Namida stared stonily at the other girl. "Orochimaru will take over all the villages. Every single one. And what will become of the people in those villages? They will all die. I betrayed my village because I want to stay alive. I don't want to be another number on the causality list."

Hikari stared at the brunette in disgust, then slowly lifted the kunai again. She would spare no words on this lost cause. She would also spare no mercy.

The two ran at each other, but Hikari found herself alone in the area. She glanced around, then felt someone behind her. She whirled around.

Time seemed to stop. Namida's eyes turned a soft, dark purple and her angry, cold façade melted to reveal her sad countenance. "I'm sorry, Hikari. You're a good person and you don't deserve any of this." Then her eyes flashed jet black. "But frankly, better you than me." And then she was gone.

Hikari gasped as the kunai was stabbed into her back.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Hikari sank to her knees. Fumbling fingers pulled the kunai out. She stared at it. It was dripping with bright red blood… her blood…

She wanted to scream in horror and agony, but she had no air left to do so.

Hikari collapsed onto her back. _So this is what it feels like to die? _Part of her decided she didn't like it at all. The rest of her was using everything it had to cling to consciousness.

The sky seemed to press down on her: there wasn't enough air to fill her lungs. Everything she could see was blurry, and she couldn't make anything out. The sounds of distant fighting were muffled, as if she were wearing earmuffs. Her friends… her friends…

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the awful pain searing through her back. This was all her fault. She should have realized there was something strange about Namida. The traitor had hit the nail on the head: she just hadn't been good enough to take something from all the clues. All the signs. Instead she had led her friends into a trap, and now they were going to die for it.

Some team leader she was.

The sound of the fighting stopped. So, it was over. Were her friends dead? Were they going to join her in being the beginning of a war? No, they wouldn't. That place in history would always be reserved for her. The unwitting captain who unknowingly started another shinobi war.

Hikari would have cried, but tears were worthless. They always had been.

"OH MY KAMI, HIKARI!" Came a shrill, panicked voice from very, very far away. Hikari smiled softly and her eyes fluttered in an effort to stay awake. That was Renshi. The girl usually had a low, calculating voice that wasn't apt to emotion, but when she got truly incensed, she spoke in a high, heated tone.

"Oh shit, what the hell happened? Damn it!" Judging by the profanities, that was Katorashi. Whenever she was angry or worried, she would start swearing uncontrollably. Hikari's heart plunged with sadness. She even wished she could hang around to hear Katorashi swear a couple more times…

"Oh my…" Kiba, wasn't it… When times were really bad, the dog-boy would become uncharacteristically quiet. As if he realized that if any moment deserved his foremost attention, this was it. Hikari heard Akamaru whimper. She felt another pang of heartache.

She didn't want this to end… She could feel it slipping away…

"Shouldn't we be helping her?" Shino deadpanned. Same Shino… He never changed… He was always reliable. Hikari wanted to smile, but nothing seemed to be working correctly anymore. Go figure.

"Sit her up for me, Haku," Hinata said firmly. You knew things were bad when Hinata lost her usual soft, unconfident voice and fell back to using the hard, firm one she used in the hospital during emergencies. She felt Haku gently hold her up and remove her white fleece.

"H-Hikari," She heard him say. His voice was sad, and she wasn't sure if he was even talking to her.

But she smiled this time. That was all of them. They were all alive.

"Hey, sh-she's smiling!" Kiba said, offended, as if it was he who was lying on the ground, bleeding to death.

Hikari felt the bandages go on her back after Hinata had smeared something on the wound. "That's all I can do," The white-eyed girl said, sighing. Hikari noticed how her voice seemed to be getting more and more distant. "We have to get back to Konoha immediately."

"Hai!" The five remaining said.

She felt someone pick her up, then heard Haku's voice in her ear, "Hang on, Hikari… Hang on… Hang on…"

And she tried. She tried to keep her mind from fuzzing over, but it was inevitable. At last, Hikari let herself fall into the blackness.

--

Five ninja sat on five uncomfortable chairs in a nearly empty, too-clean hallway in Konoha Hospital. They were undisturbed except for the occasional nurse or medic nin running by. They had been sitting there for two hours. They were absolutely silent, except for the quiet sobs of the blond kunoichi, whose head was rested on the shoulder of the fierce looking, brown hair boy sitting next to her.

None of them knew exactly what they were waiting for. Maybe it was reassurance, or just plain any news at all.

After a mad 3 hour dash back to Konoha using all the chakra they had left, they had rushed Hikari into the hospital. The medics had looked vaguely frightened by this case. They had shook their heads noncommittally when asked if the girl would live. The five had been sitting there ever since.

Finally, they were approached by a tired looking medic nin, looking very superior in his complete medic nin garb. "She's still alive."

No one was relieved.

"How long?" Haku asked, his voice flat and scratchy, as if he hadn't used it for years.

The nin sucked his teeth and shrugged. "Well, this could just be another mission mark on her file, or she could soon have her name on the memorial stone." It seemed this particular healer spared no pleasantries. "It could be anything. If she lasts the night…" He didn't need to finish the clichéd sentence.

No one said a thing.

The medic looked unceremoniously at his watch. "Well, visiting hours are way over and the kunoichi in question is in no condition to accept guests anyway. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

No one moved.

The healer disappeared in a huff.

He returned a little while later with a sour look on his face and a blanket and pillow under one arm. "We are willing to make an exception," he said tightly. He had obviously had nothing to do with the decision. "One of you may stay. Only one!"

Shino, Katorashi, Renshi, and Kiba looked to Haku. He was still staring straight forward as if he hadn't heard a word the medic nin had said. Maybe he hadn't.

Katorashi stood up shakily, absentmindedly wiping her face. Shino ran a hand through his thick hair, then helped Renshi up. Renshi looked hopefully at Haku, but the long-haired teenager still hadn't moved.

"Tell us if anything happens, OK?" Kiba said softly. Akamaru, for once, was silent. The only sound the big dog made was the slight tapping of his claws as he restlessly paced the hallway. He was anxious to be gone from this too-quiet building.

Haku nodded a little, if only to assure them that he had heard. The medic nin shifted on his feet awkwardly, waiting for four of them to go away.

Once Kiba, Shino, Katorashi, and Renshi were gone, the nin tossed the blanket and pillow at Haku. "Sleep. We'll tell you if anything happens. Don't leave that spot. You're lucky to be here at all." Haku watched with little interest as the medic turned on his heel and left.

So he waited.

It was late, Haku could tell. It had been 8 when they had reached Konoha, and it had been 10 when his comrades had left. It felt as though it had been hours since then. He hadn't made any effort to even try to fall asleep; all he saw when he closed his eyes was her face, pale and calm…

_I should have been there._ The guilt was biting away at his insides.

A pink haired medic skidded down the hall. "Oh hi, Haku!" She said in a painfully cheerful voice. "Hikari's doing just fine. Her condition's stabilized, I'm sure she'll be better in no time!" She grinned a large, forced smile.

_Liar. _Haku thought scathingly as he watched the girl's retreating back. _I wonder how many lies she tells just to make people feel better… Probably as many as she tells herself… _

However, Haku was shaken from his increasingly rude thoughts by the clipboard Sakura had left behind as she had haphazardly skittered towards her next destination.

After looking carefully down both ends of the hallway, Haku dashed to the other wall and picked up the clipboard. He flipped through some charts of the other patients before he found what he was looking for.

**Patient Name: Kousetsu Hikari**

**Room Number: 305**

Haku glanced around again. After being certain that there was no one around to yell at him for moving, he stood up and followed the numbers towards 305.

--

Haku stood outside a rather beat-up looking door on the other side of the hospital. This hallway was darker; half of the florescent lights that usually mercilessly beat down on the hall were turned off. He was reluctant to go inside; he had no idea what he'd find.

Haku cautiously opened the door. The room inside was split in half by a curtain. The first bed he saw was empty, but behind the curtain there was a light on. Haku slowly crossed the divider.

And there she was. She could have been sleeping, except for the fact that she was too pale and barely breathing. An IV was sticking out of her arm and a heart monitor was slowly bleeping a few feet away. The medics had done their share of the work; now they had to rely on technology to do the rest.

Haku pulled up a chair next to her bedside. He absentmindedly pushed her bangs from her closed eyes and carefully took one of her hands in his.

They stayed like that for a long time.

She didn't notice the single tear that fell from his eyes onto her hand.

He didn't notice the faint smile on her face in reaction to what reached her through the fog of unconsciousness.

Neither noticed the gaggle of nurses gathered outside the door, wiping their eyes and whispering about what a perfect couple they made.

--

Thanks again for reading! Pleasse review!


	7. Chapter 7

7.

Namida had been right. Tsunade was furious when Renshi had given the mission report in place of Hikari and had said that if that wasn't an act of war, she didn't know what was. Renshi frowned as she told everything to Hikari. The injured girl had been out for four days.

"So there really is going to be a war," Hikari said softly. She was sitting up in her hospital bed. Sakura promised she would be out in a couple of days, and Hikari couldn't be happier to be leaving.

Renshi nodded.

Hikari took a deep breath. "I can't believe this…" She buried her face in her hands. "It really is my fault!"

"Hikari." Renshi said sharply. "This is _not _your fault. Nor is it mine or anyone else's one our team. It's Orochimaru's. Don't ever forget that."

Hikari looked up into Renshi's serious dark brown eyes. "Thanks, Re-chan."

Renshi nodded again.

"So what else has been going on?"

"Lee ran 3,000 laps around Konoha two days ago. I think that's a new record or something… hmmm… what else? Oh, yeah, Haku didn't leave your side the entire time you were out."

"What?" Hikari cried. "I haven't seen him all day! Why hasn't he come to see me?"

Renshi raised a thin eyebrow. "What's that?" She gestured towards the windowsill.

Hikari's eyes followed Renshi's arm and fell upon a single orchid in a slim glass vase. It was almost completely white except for some delicate pale blue streaks running down the petals. Hikari's lips quivered as she stared at the flower.

"Why don't you guys just get together already?" Renshi said in an irritated voice.

Hikari's eyes shot back to her friend's. "N-nani?"

"You're obviously perfect for each other. Just kiss and get it over with."

"NANI?"

Renshi shrugged.

"Hn, like you did with Shino?"

The orange/brown-haired girl blinked shamelessly. "I took an initiative. You are doing nothing. He's not going to be here forever, Hikari."

Hikari leaned back on her pillows and stared at the ceiling. "I've never been like that, Renshi, and you know it."

"So it's going to be a little challenging. That never stopped you before." Renshi rose to go. "Just think about it, OK?"

Hikari nodded and watched her friend close the door behind her.

--

Hikari ran through the streets of Konoha. She could barely contain how great it felt to be on her feet again. She wanted to sing and jump and do cartwheels, but the streets were awfully crowded and she didn't want to step on anyone. So she settled for running and grinning insanely.

She scanned the shops on the side of the road, but even with her sharp eyes she couldn't find Haku. The orchid in her hand was till fresh, its stem feeling pleasantly cool in her fingers. She leaned up on her tiptoes and strained her eyes for Haku's long blue-black hair. She sighed when she couldn't spot him. But she did see someone she did know.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei! Iruka-sensei!" Hikari waved her hand and sped after the chuunin. No matter how many years since it had been that she had been in his class, or how long it's been since she became a chuunin like him, she still couldn't resist calling him teacher.

Iruka curiously turned around and Hikari almost bowled into him. But she wasn't a ninja for nothing, and she quickly halted herself before she could run into the teacher.

"Iruka-sensei… Have you seen Haku?" The blue haired girl managed to get out.

Iruka raised an eyebrow, but Hikari just smiled, as if to say, _Please don't ask any questions._ "Yes, actually. He passed by here just a few minutes ago. That way." Iruka pointed to a road going perpendicular to this one.

Hikari's grin became even wider, if that was possible. "Thanks, sensei!" She yelled back at him as she ran in the direction he had pointed out. Iruka just stood there shaking his head, then he continued his search for a certain loudmouth, orange-and-black clad ninja who owed him a heap of money for ramen. It seemed that when Naruto didn't want to be found he was nearly impossible to seek out.

Hikari jogged through the new street. It was a lot calmer than the one she had just come off of. _What a nice day,_ She thought happily as her run slowed to a walk. Her eyes traveled around, searching for a familiar green jacket. At last she found what she was looking for.

Haku was walking down the street , twiddling a senbon needle in his fingers as he looked around. Hikari felt her breath catch in her throat and suddenly she felt like turning around and forgetting this entire thing. However, invisible hands pushed her forward, until, lo and behold, she was right next to Haku.

"Ohayo, Haku," Hikari said quietly. She hoped he hadn't heard her.

He did. "'Morning, Hikari," He said, looking down at her, surprised. "You're out of the hospital!"

"Yes," She said uncertainly.

"That's great." He smiled cheerfully and his fingers stopped playing with the needle.

"Yes, it's good to be out." Hikari glanced sideways.

Haku nodded.

Hikari stopped walking. "Hey, Haku?"

"Hmmm?" He stopped too and turned around to face her.

Hikari stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Haku on the cheek. "Thanks for the orchid." She held up the flower and blushed. "And thanks for staying with me, too."

He smiled and covered her hands with his. "No problem." Then he kissed her on the lips.

--

War seemed to looming ever closer. Squads from many of the shinobi nations were being attacked by Orochimaru's minions in much the same way Hikari's had been. Some of the attacks were foiled, other weren't. After a few weeks, Orochimaru had made enemies of nearly every ninja country in existence. However, no one but him was willing to start a war, so they held back. Not that Orochimaru was going to wait for others to start the conflict.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, life went on. Missions were scanned rigorously and without mercy, but they still happened. Everyone seemed to be tenser, but covered it up with laughs and jokes. The war was still on everyone's mind, but people refused to let it control their life.

On the other hand, Hikari was happier than ever. Her friends and Haku were still there for her whenever she needed them, their happy words and smiles quick on the uptake. Maybe it was naitivity or denial, but Hikari couldn't bear for it to end. She clung to the good times, begging them to stay. And so far they had.

It was evening. Hikari and Haku sat at the kitchen table in Hikari's apartment, having some after-dinner tea. (Well, on Haku's part. Hikari couldn't stand the stuff, and had made herself hot chocolate.) They were talking about anything that came to mind, laughing and smiling as they sipped the hot drinks.

A lull came to the conversation. Hikari was leaned back in her chair, the mug halfway up to lips as she thought of what they had just said. Haku sat leaned forward, both hands wrapped around the small cup. His hair fell in his eyes as he stared at the contents of it.

Hikari looked up and noticed something strange about Haku. His aura was clouded, as if he had something troubling on his mind. She sensed something bad was going to happen and sat up straight.

Haku lifted his eyes to meet her confused ones. Then he spoke the words she dreaded.

"Hikari, I'm going back to Mist."


	8. Chapter 8

Fair warning: In this chapter, the story takes a bit of a morbid turn.

8.

Hikari's heart seemed to stop. She slumped in her seat and rested her forehead on her hand. She faintly realized her breath was unnaturally heavy.

"They are dangerously low on ninja. They've asked for volunteers who have experience with Mist to help them out… with the war." He was pleading with her, trying to make her understand.

"So they needed you after all…" She hated how hollow and spiteful her voice sounded. Renshi's words bit into her heart…

_He's not going to be here forever._

She felt like crying with the unfairness of it all.

"Hikari…" There is was again, that pleading voice. But she didn't want to understand. She wanted him to be wrong; she wanted him to stay…

"Why?"

"They need me. Besides, if I could do it for Zabuza-"

"Zabuza is dead!" Hikari yelled, standing up. "I am alive! I'm here, right now!" She could feel the tears burning the corners of her eyes.

There was silence for a moment.

"I know that," Haku said quietly.

Hikari covered her face with her hands. She felt hopeless, unsteady and weak. Everything was falling apart and she could do nothing to stop it.

She heard Haku get up and walk over to her, then she felt his hands on her shoulders. She looked up. "Don't you trust me?" He asked, a false smile on his face.

"Of course," She answered, her voice cracking. "But I don't trust Orochimaru."

They stayed like that a long time. Hikari tried not to cry, but it is needless to say that she failed. Haku stroked her hair, speaking soothing words, but nothing that could last.

They couldn't promise each other anything, and that was the hardest thing in the world.

--

He left the next morning at dawn. Hikari came to see him off. He was accompanied by seven or so others experienced with Mist. She didn't recognize any of them.

She stood next to him until the very last minute. Under the gate, he turned to her. "I'll be back soon, you'll see," he said, wearing a small sad smile. "You'll see."

Hikari nodded mutely. Her face was dry: all of her tears were spent.

He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. There were words stirring in her throat, and she needed to get them out…

But with one last soft smile, he was gone. As she watched him go, she whispered them to no one.

"I love you."

So she waited there, in the entrance to Leaf, and watched the place where he had disappeared.

"Hey, Hikari!" A familiar voice yelled.

Hikari jumped and turned to face her two friends. They were smiling with true happiness. It seemed a strange sight to see.

"We were just going to train," Renshi said. "Thought we'd rip up some more countryside, give the farmers something new to look at." She winked in that quick decisive way she had. "You coming?"

Hikari bit her lip, but before she could answer, Katorashi cut in.

"Hey, why so glum?" She asked, scratching the back of her head.

Hikari smiled a large smile that concealed nothing. "Haku went back to Mist."

There was an astonished, bewildered silence. Katorashi's arm fell limply at her side, and Renshi blinked, her eyes wide. "Oh, Hikari, I'm sorry…" Katorashi said quietly, her voice softening.

"When will he be back?" Renshi said gently.

"He went to help with the war there." She said, not giving them a straight answer to avoid more pain.

More silence. "Oh, Hikari…" Katorashi repeated, her voice sad. Renshi shook her head. So they too thought he wouldn't come back. Hikari took in a shaky breath.

"Are you OK?" Renshi asked.

Hikari shrugged. Was she?

"It'll be fine." Katorashi said seriously. "It'll turn out all right, it always does."

Hikari ran a hand through her hair and turned to Renshi. "Well, you were right. He wasn't here forever."

The orange/brown-haired girl opened and closed her mouth several times but didn't say a thing.

--

Hikari had been called to take a dead body down to the morgue.

It was the part of her job at the hospital that she hated the most, but the others in her section couldn't take it. Hikari could barely take it either, but she was one of the few who hadn't had a break down yet, so the job fell to her.

The blue-haired girl approached the gurney apprehensively, as she always did. It helped her mentally prepare herself for the gory bodies she usually dealt with. She also dreaded the days it would be someone she knew and cared about.

This one wasn't that awful. It was a girl, about her age, with light brown/blue hair and yellow eyes frozen in the color of terror as she faced her death…

_Namida._

Hikari sighed. "One betrayal too many, eh?" She said, brushing the hair off the traitor's cold face. "Never thought life would betray _you_, did you?"

The corpse said nothing.

Hikari laid the white sheet over the body. She grasped the edge of the gurney and began to push it forward. "You lost your life," she muttered absentmindedly. "What will I lose?"


	9. Chapter 9

NOTICE: Hey all! Long time, no speak, right? Anyway, after much diliberation (and more than a few swear words), my friends have mananged to convince me that I owe it to you (not to mention myself) to finish How to Save a Life. However, I would like to say that although reviews are _incredibly _appreciated, this entire story is already written. So thank you, but I will not be taking any suggestions on future plot developments. Also, I'm going to put it out there that I have no interest in revising previous chapters, so if you do point something out that is less than satisfactory, I probably will not change it. I will take it in to consideration for future writings, though, so constructive critism is still very, very welcome. Thank you SO much for bearing with me!!!! ~ Akiraka

9.

Hikari sat at her kitchen table, sharpening kunai. It was a beautiful summer day, but the streets were eerily empty.

Orochimaru's army was closing in. Hyuga spies had come back with the news that the troops were slowly but steadily surrounding the village, closing the hangman's noose. Tsunade had made a quick decision and had ordered all civilians to be evacuated to the mountains. "Konoha will remain alive as long as its people are." She had said. Hikari sighed. The village looked dead to her. It made her heart sting every time she looked out on the deserted streets.

She supposed it was about time though. She had spent weeks waiting, starved for news and action. Everyday she checked with anyone, everyone who might know a thing about the status of the other nations. She had learned that Earth had fallen, and that Sand was fighting for its freedom as they spoke. But no one knew anything about Mist or the surrounding lands. Hikari tried not to lose hope, but no news was bad news in her mind.

Hikari knew it was foolish to except him back so soon. The war was just starting, and who knew how bad it was over there?

The kunai slipped from her grasp. The teen gasped as it sliced open her palm. Thick, red blood poured from the cut. Hikari stared at it, entranced. How could so much bad come from such a small thing?

She stared that the cut for a long while, until an immense feeling of guilt washed over her, like she was doing something wrong. She quickly looked around, as if anyone could have seen her. She was alone in this building, on this block, in this world. She quickly wrapped gauze around the gash and walked out of the room, leaving the bloody kunai of the table.

--

_Slam._

_Slam._

_Slam._

Bull's eye.

"You're no fun, Hikari," Katorashi said in mock indignance. "You never mess up..."

Hikari smiled ruefully. Three kunai in the small red heart of the target. It used to be so hard, now it was second nature.

Katorashi swiftly threw one of her swords. It hit the target at its stomach. "Slow and painful," the swordswoman sighed.

"Like you would ever do that in a real situation," Renshi said, rolling her eyes. "You'd be too afraid of losing one of those swords."

"Hey, someone very important to me gave me these!" Katorashi said heatedly. "Besides, if I lose one, that's that. It can't be changed."

"It can't be changed," Hikari repeated softly.

The two others glanced at her. Then, as way of changing the subject, Renshi ran at the target and cut off its head. It fell to the ground, rolling away from the body, whose neck was on fire. "That's how you do it." She said smartly, sliding the two swords back into their hilts.

"You're morbid," Katorashi said with distaste.

"What? You're the one who said it was slow and painful! I'm just ending it!"

"It takes a few minutes for the victim to die, everyone knows that. Its neck was on _fire._" Katorashi wrenched her sword from the abdomen of the poor target.

"Hn." Renshi said, crossing her arms. Then she smiled. "Seems the only one of us not bent on causing pain is Hi-chan." The two turned to face their companion.

Hikari slowly pulled her kunai from the small, painted heart. "It can't be changed." She said quietly.

_Slam._

_Slam._

_Slam._

Bull's eye.


	10. Chapter 10

10.

Hikari stared up into the strange dark purple clouds overhead. They roiled together, as if it was going to storm, but it contrast the air was cool and dry. The blue haired teen was walking down the street with Katorashi and Renshi. The three were silent, but not for lack of something to say.

The war was upon them. The enemy was at their doorstep, and the three friends were walking towards their designated posts around the village. It was very likely they would never see each other again, and yet they still said nothing. Hikari clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, and stopped walking.

Renshi and Katorashi stopped as well and turned around, their eyes bewildered and searching.

"You guys," Hikari said quietly. She was pleased her voice came out strong. "I just want to say… good-bye, if this is it."

"Hikari," Katorashi interrupted warningly, telling Hikari to stop while the mood was still vaguely light hearted.

"No, Kat-chan," Hikari said just as firmly. "It has to be said."

Katorashi stared at her friend for a moment then gave her a short, single nod and shifted so that she was fully facing her.

"You two have been the best friends I could ever ask for," Hikari said. "And… and I would really miss you." She unconsciously wiped at her face to fend off tears.

"Me too," Renshi said after a deep breath. She was rolling up her sleeves.

"You know it," Katorashi said fiercely as she reached up to tie her hair back.

Hikari smiled. "Musical trio forever, right?"

The other two smiled as well. "Forever," they agreed as one.

The three walked toward what ever end they might face, together.

--

Hikari's post was an alley in between two buildings, one of which sheltered them from the north and the other from the south. There was a heavy concrete wall to the east and the west was open. It was not the most defensible position, but Hikari could think of worse.

When she arrived, the other two thirds of her team were already there. There was Lee, who was crouched, looking around the north building at the empty street. The other was a slim genin boy whose name slipped Hikari's mind, a kunai raised in front of him and his chest rising and falling in time to his fear. She frowned. It was very mismatched, but Tsunade had to make due with what ranks she had. Hikari felt sullen as she wondered if the Godaime was regretting sending Haku and the others away.

"Hey," She greeted as she slipped into the dark alley.

"Hello," said Lee, looking at her seriously. The genin just nodded his recognition.

"What's it looking like?" Hikari said, settling beside Lee.

"Koutetsu came by 15 minutes ago. He said to be ready in an hour." Lee answered. "I said he could most definitely count on us."

Hikari nodded and proceeded to take a few senbon out of her pack.

"So much hate…" the genin muttered. "Surely we can't outlast it. It's hopeless."

Hikari and Lee paused and turned to the boy. His eyes were glazed over and the hand that was holding the kunai was shaking.

Lee reached over and clapped him on the shoulder. "Do not despair. There is always hope!" He continued on to his nice guy pose.

Hikari sighed and shook her head. Then she turned and stood watch on the deserted street.

--

Katorashi and Hikari sat in the waiting room of the hospital. They were not in good shape. Katorashi had a huge a huge, long gash running up the side of her leg, covered by a makeshift bandage created from Hikari's sleeve. Her arm was bent at on odd and painful angle, and she had a black eye. As for Hikari, six of her fingers were broken and her cheek was cut clean though in one place. She was dangerously low on chakra. Neither, however, sought attention. There were so many others who needed it much more than them…

The third of their trio was not with them. Renshi was somewhere in the hospital, being treated for chakra and blood loss and extreme fatigue. Her two friends had brought her to the hospital after the battle.

Sound had retreated, but Hikari wasn't sure if the victory was truly theirs.

"All this death…" Katorashi growled. "So many dead. And what for? What's the point? They're all dead and it was wasted."

Hikari turned sharply to her friend, surprised and slightly disturbed by her harsh words. Katorashi's grey blue eyes were cold and deadened. Hikari looked away, unsure of how to respond to her morbid statement. She lifted a hand to run through her hair, but flinched when her broken fingers collided with her scalp.

"Hey, Katorashi-chan! Hikari-chan!" Someone yelled.

The two girls looked up and searched for the source of the voice. There it was: Naruto, sitting up in a gurney, waving frantically and pointing to the person in the one next to him. "Look! Look who I brought back!" He yelled, grinning wildly. Sure enough, lying there looking pale, sickly, and as much of an evil bastard as ever, was Uchiha Sasuke. Katorashi groaned and brought her hands to her face, while Hikari half smiled at Naruto's boyish antics.

"Shut up, Naruto, it's a hospital," scolded Sakura, holding a syringe filled with anesthetic. "Now hold out your arm."

"This isn't gonna hurt, right?" Naruto answered apprehensively, eyeing the needle with suspicion.

"Of course not," The pink haired teen said as she jabbed it into his arm.

"Owwww…" he complained as his voice faded.

Sakura ruffled his yellow hair as his eyes fluttered shut. Then her eyes traveled to the figure occupying the rolling bed next to Naruto. "We really missed you, Sasuke-kun…" She murmured.

"Speak for yourself." Katorashi deadpanned.

Sakura turned and glared at her, but the swordswoman glared right back.

"Oh come on, you guys." Hikari said angrily. "Don't you think we've done enough fighting for today?"

Sakura looked away sadly. "I'll try to get someone to help you," She said in a near whisper. Then she put a hand on both gurneys and effortlessly pushed them away. The others fell silent.

Hikari sighed and watched as Tsunade was carried in on a stretcher, unconscious.

"Tsunade-sama never was good at gambling," Katorashi said.

"Hmmm?" Hikari asked.

"She gambled too much this time. Put too much on the line. She won't make it. She put up a good fight and she'll be remembered, but it's over for her."

Hikari stared again at her friend's eyes. Yes, they were hard and cold, but she saw something else in there. Old Katorashi was still there. She was still there, but she was drowning in hardship and sorrow.

Hikari wondered if they all were.


End file.
